The Integral Imaging technology is developed from the Integral Photography proposed by the French scientist, M. G. Lippmann in 1908. The basic principle is divided into a collection stage and an image reconstruction stage. The collection stage is to utilize the two dimensional parallax barrier or the two dimensional lens array to record the space scene in the medium behind the two dimensional parallax barrier or the two dimensional lens array. Each of the two dimensional parallax barrier or the two dimensional lens array corresponds to one element image (EI) on the medium behind, and each element image records a part of information of the space scene. The element image array, which is constituted by integrating all the element images records the three dimensional information of the entire space scene. The image reconstruction stage is based on the principle of reversibility of light. The same two dimensional parallax barrier or two dimensional lens array as recording is located in front of the element image array. Accordingly, the original three dimensional space scene is reconstructed before the two dimensional parallax barrier or the two dimensional lens array.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an imaging principle diagram of an integral imaging 3D display system. The integral imaging 3D display system comprises a collection system 110 and a display system 120. The collection system 110 comprises a image collection sensor 400 and a first two dimensional parallax barrier 300. The display system 120 comprises a liquid crystal panel 401 and a second two dimensional parallax barrier 301.
In the collection stage, the object 500 is positioned in front of the first two dimensional parallax barrier 300. The lights emitted from the object 500 pass through the plurality of slits of the first two dimensional parallax barrier 300 and are transferred to the image collection sensor 400. The image collection sensor 400 records the lights passing through every slit of the first two dimensional parallax barrier 300 corresponded with an element image of forming the object 500. Ultimately, the image collection sensor 400 obtains the lights passing through all slits of the first two dimensional parallax barrier 300 corresponded with a plurality of element image of forming the object 500, of which the parallaxes are different to construct the element image array. Thus, the information collection to the object 500 is accomplished.
In the image reconstruction stage, the captured element image array is shown on the liquid crystal panel 401, and the second two dimensional parallax barrier 301 which is the same as the first two dimensional parallax barrier 300 is overlapped before or after the liquid crystal panel 401. Accordingly, based on the principle of reversibility of light, the image 501 of the collected object 500 is reconstructed by the second two dimensional parallax barrier 301. The reconstructed image 501 can provide the anaglyphs of different directions, and combine with the parallax combination property of human eyes. People can see the 3D effect of the object 500 without glasses, which is so called the naked eye 3D.
Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of an integral imaging 3D display device according to prior art. The integral imaging 3D display device comprises a liquid crystal panel 100, a backlight module 200 located under the liquid crystal panel 100, and a two dimensional parallax barrier 600 located between the liquid crystal panel 100 and the backlight module 200, wherein the two dimensional parallax barrier 600 also can be located on the liquid crystal panel 100.
After the uniform surface light source provided by the backlight module 200 pass through the two dimensional parallax barrier 600, the different pixels of the liquid crystal panel 100 emit lights toward different directions after the lights shine on the liquid crystal panel 100 because the light possesses directionality. With the reasonable designs to the slit apertures of the two dimensional parallax barrier 600 and the image shown by the liquid crystal panel 100, the observer can see the anaglyphs of different angles in the x direction and the y direction shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the integral imaging display can be achieved.
However, the integral image 3D display device according to prior art can only achieve the 3D effect display but no switch of the 2D/3D display mode is possible. Therefore, there is a need to develop a 2D/3D switchable display device to solve the aforesaid issue.